Iraqi forces retake four neighborhoods east of Mosul, as part of the major operation to liberate the flashpoint northern city form Daesh terrorists.

The commander of Nineveh Liberation Operation, General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, said government forces managed to liberate the neighborhoods of Atebba al-Oula and Atebba al-Thaniyah in the eastern quarter of Mosul, located some 400 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad, on Saturday noon and hoisted the national Iraqi flag over a number of buildings there, Arabic-language al-Sumaria television network reported.

Earlier in the day, Iraqi counter terrorism forces won back al-Rafaq neighborhood in the northeastern section of the city.

Iraqi troops also gained a foothold in Mosul’s eastern neighborhood of al-Ghufran, and raised the national flag over several buildings in the area.

The development came on the same day that the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) soldiers recaptured al-Salam and al-Shafaa hospitals besides the Faculty of Medicine in the eastern side of Mosul.

Headquarters of Chechen Daesh terrorists uncovered in Mosul

Meanwhile, Iraqi Federal Police have taken over a Daesh command center in the southeastern part of Mosul, which the terror group used to direct the actions of ethnic Chechen terrorists.

Iraqi Special Forces patrol al-Quds neighborhood after recapturing it from Daesh terrorists, on January 3, 2017, during an ongoing operation to retake the city of Mosul. (Photo by AFP)

“Maps of Daesh attacks which were earlier carried out in various Mosul districts were found at the headquarters. Federal Police also discovered explosive belts and weapons at the site,” Federal Police commander Lieutenant General Raed Shakir Jawdat said on Saturday.

Nearly dozen civilians killed as Daesh hits east Mosul

Additionally, at least eleven people were killed on Saturday, when Daesh Takfiris fired a barrage of mortar shells at the densely populated neighborhood of Zohour. An unnamed police official said another 13 people were injured, Arabic-language al-Baghdadia television network reported.

Iraqi Special Operations Forces recaptured the neighborhood on December 2, 2016, more than a week after they first marched into the area.

Daesh self-proclaimed governor slain northeast of Baqubah

The Daesh self-proclaimed governor for Imam Ways region, located 63 kilometers northeast of the eastern city of Baqubah, died of his injuries following a failed attack on a position of pro-government fighters from Popular Mobilization Units — commonly known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Sha’abi.

A security source, requesting anonymity, said the senior Daesh figure succumbed to the grave injuries he sustained during the heavy clashes with Hash al-Sha’abi fighters.

A volunteer fighter also lost his life and three others were wounded during the fighting.